U.S. Naturalization Test

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1 Official U.S. Naturalization Test Part I: Principles of American Democracy 1. What is the supreme law of the land? the Constitution 2. What does the Constitution do? sets up the government defines the government protects basic rights of Americans 3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? We the People 4. What is an amendment? 5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? the Bill of Rights 6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? 7. How many amendments does the Constitution have? 8. What did the Declaration of Independence do? 9. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence? 10. What is freedom of religion? You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion. 11. What is the economic system in the United States? capitalist economy market economy 12. What is the rule of law? Everyone must follow the law. Government leaders must obey the law. No one is above the law. Part II: System of Government 13. Name one branch or part of the government. Congress / legislative President / executive the courts / judicial 14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? checks and balances separation of powers 15. Who is in charge of the executive branch? the President

2 16. Who makes federal laws? Congress Senate and House (of Representatives) (U.S. or national) legislature 17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? the Senate and House (of Representatives) 18. How many U.S. Senators are there? one hundred (100) 19. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? six (6) 20. Who is one of your state s U.S. Senators now? Answers will vary. 21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members? four hundred thirty-five (435) 22. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years? two (2) 23. Name your U.S. Representative. Answers will vary. 24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent? all people of the state 25. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states? ( Official U.S. Naturalization Test Page We elect a President for how many years? four (4) 27. In what month do we vote for President? November 28. What is the name of the President of the United States now? 29. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? Michael Pence Pence 30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? the Vice President 31. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? the Speaker of the House 32. Who is the Commander-in-Chief of the military? the President 33. Who signs bills to become laws? the President

3 34. Who vetoes bills? the President 35. What does the President s Cabinet do? advises the President 36. What are two Cabinet-level positions? Secretary of Agriculture Secretary of Commerce Secretary of Defense Secretary of Education Secretary of Energy Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary of Homeland Security Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Secretary of the Interior Secretary of Labor Secretary of State Secretary of Transportation Secretary of the Treasury Secretary of Veterans Affairs Attorney General Vice President 37. What does the judicial branch do? reviews laws explains laws resolves disputes decides if a law goes against the Constitution 38. What is the highest court in the United States? the Supreme Court 39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court? nine (9) 40. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? Official U.S. Naturalization Test Page What is one power of the federal government? 42. What is one power of the states? 43. Who is the Governor of your state now? 44. What is the capital of your state? 45. What are the two major political parties in the United States? Democratic and Republican 46. What is the political party of the President now? Republican (Party) 47. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? Paul D. Ryan (Paul) Ryan Part III: Rights and Responsibilities 48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them. Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote). You don t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote. Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.) A male citizen of any race (can vote). 49. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? serve on a jury vote in a federal election 50. Name one right only for United States citizens. vote in a federal election run for federal office

4 51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States? freedom of expression freedom of speech freedom of assembly freedom to petition the government freedom of religion the right to bear arms 52. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? the United States the flag 53. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen? give up loyalty to other countries defend the Constitution and laws of the United States obey the laws of the United States serve in the U.S. military (if needed) be loyal to the United States 54. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? eighteen (18) and older 55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? vote join a political party help with a campaign join a civic group join a community group give an elected official your opinion on an issue call Senators and Representatives publicly support or oppose an issue or policy run for office write to a newspaper 56. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? April When must all men register for the Selective Service? Official U.S. Naturalization Test Page Why does the flag have 13 stripes? Part IV: Symbols 59. Why does the flag have 50 stars? 60. When do we celebrate Independence Day? July 4

5 Official U.S. Naturalization Test citizenship challenge Part 1: Determine Baseline, Develop Plan Take the US Naturalization Test & score Reflect on initial performance and opinions on high school diploma debate Create plan to study questions using brain research Part 2: Show What You Learned, Begin Research Study & answer the odd questions for Quiz 1, reflect on performance Examine instructions and example of an Op-Ed essay Read, annotate and complete Source #1 TASTED form Add Source #1 to Yes/No Research Notes Part 3: Show What You Learned, Finish Research Study & answer the even questions for Quiz 2, reflect on performance Locate, read, & annotate 2 more sources, add to Yes/No Research Notes Analyze and evaluate sources using TASTED forms Part 4: Become a Citizen, Argue Position Study & answer all questions for the Final Test Decide final position, outline essay Write first draft of essay, construct Works Cited sheet Part 5: Edit and Publish Position Peer edit and make any necessary corrections Submit final copy of Op-Ed essay & Works Cited Can YOU Part 1 Check off Part 2 Check off Part 3 Check off Part 4 Check off Final Project Due pass the test? HAVE Should you to?

6 Your Reflection & Growth / 60 US Naturalization Test: Can YOU pass? Should you HAVE to? Pre-Test: Are you already citizen material? How do you feel about your score? What reasons can you give for your score? How many should an immigrant get right to pass the test and gain citizenship? Do you think these are fair questions an immigrant should know to become a citizen? Which question do you think is the MOST fair? LEAST fair? Why? Should natural born (from birth) citizens be required to pass this test to earn a high school diploma? Why or why not? / 30 Quiz 1: How well did your study plan work? How do you feel about your score? What reasons can you give for your score this time? What study habits will you continue? What needs to be tweaked? What will you try differently? / 30 Quiz 2: How did you do this time? How do you feel about your score? What reasons can you give for your score this time? What study habits will you continue? What needs to be tweaked? What will you try differently? / 60 Final Test: Are you a citizen?

7 Our Initial Positions SHOULD b e a r e q u i r e m e n t US Naturalization Test: Can YOU pass? Should you HAVE to? SHOULDN T b e a r e q u i r e m e n t BUT BUT

8 Your What is the best study tool for me? Who is the best study partner for me? Where is the best place to study for me? When is the best time to study for me? How is the best way in which I should study? What s the best bonus studying trick I want to try? US Naturalization Test: Can YOU pass? Should you HAVE to? Study Plan While it is true that some people feel they study better one way and others a different way, scientists have tested and proven certain tips and trick that work regardless of what kind of learner you think you are. Read and annotate the provided article, jotting down the best ideas to help you develop your study plan. I m not surprised at all the research says I m most surprised the research says. The hardest part of studying for this will be but my plan is to

9 Your US Naturalization Test: Can YOU pass? Should you HAVE to? Source TASTED Source #1: Source Basics Type Author & Publisher Sources Cited Citation Annotation The Main Idea Evaluation What s Next? Deficient What is this source s strongest quality that makes it worthy of citing?

10 Your US Naturalization Test: Can YOU pass? Should you HAVE to? Source TASTED Source #2: Source Basics Type Author & Publisher Sources Cited Citation Annotation The Main Idea Evaluation What s Next? Deficient What is this source s strongest quality that makes it worthy of citing?

11 Your US Naturalization Test: Can YOU pass? Should you HAVE to? Source TASTED Source : #3: Source Basics Type Author & Publisher Sources Cited Citation Annotation The Main Idea Evaluation What s Next? Deficient What is this source s strongest quality that makes it worthy of citing?

12 Your US Naturalization Test: Can YOU pass? Should you HAVE to? Yes/No Research Notes SHOULD b e a r e q u i r e m e n t SHOULDN T b e a r e q u i r e m e n t

13 How Ignorant Are Americans? By Andrew Romano for Newsweek, March 30, 2011 As you read, consider the current state of civic literacy in America and the possible causes for it, annotating for the expert testimonies (quotes) and empirical evidence (statistics) used. They re the sort of scores that drive high-school history teachers to drink. When NEWSWEEK recently asked 1,000 U.S. citizens to take America s official citizenship test, 29 percent couldn t name the vice president. Seventy-three percent couldn t correctly say why we fought the Cold War. Forty-four percent were unable to define the Bill of Rights. And 6 percent couldn t even circle Independence Day on a calendar. Don t get us wrong: civic ignorance is nothing new. For as long as they ve existed, Americans have been misunderstanding checks and balances and misidentifying their senators. And they ve been lamenting the philistinism of their peers ever since pollsters started publishing these dispiriting surveys back in Harry Truman s day. (He was a president, by the way.) According to a study by Michael X. Delli Carpini, dean of the Annenberg School for Communication, the yearly shifts in civic knowledge since World War II have averaged out to slightly under 1 percent. But the world has changed. And unfortunately, it s becoming more and more inhospitable to incurious know-nothings like us. To appreciate the risks involved, it s important to understand where American ignorance comes from. In March 2009, the European Journal of Communication asked citizens of Britain, Denmark, Finland, and the U.S. to answer questions on international affairs. The Europeans clobbered us. Sixty-eight percent of Danes, 75 percent of Brits, and 76 percent of Finns could, for example, identify the Taliban, but only 58 percent of Americans managed to do the same even though we ve led the charge in Afghanistan. It was only the latest in a series of polls that have shown us lagging behind our First World peers. Most experts agree that the relative complexity of the U.S. political system makes it hard for Americans to keep up. In many European countries, parliaments have proportional representation, and the majority party rules without having to share power with a lot of subnational governments, notes Yale political scientist Jacob Hacker, coauthor of Winner-Take-All Politics. In contrast, we re saddled with a non-proportional Senate; a tangle of state, local, and federal bureaucracies; and near-constant elections for every imaginable office (judge, sheriff, schoolboard member, and so on). Nobody is competent to understand it all, which you realize every time you vote, says Michael Schudson, author of The Good Citizen. You know you re going to come up short, and that discourages you from learning more. It doesn t help that the United States has one of the highest levels of income inequality in the developed world, with the top 400 households raking in more money than the bottom 60 percent combined. As Dalton Conley, an NYU sociologist, explains, it s like comparing apples and oranges. Unlike Denmark, we have a lot of very poor people without access to good education, and a huge immigrant population that doesn t even speak English. When surveys focus on welloff, native-born respondents, the U.S. actually holds its own against Europe. Other factors exacerbate the situation. A big one, Hacker argues, is the decentralized U.S. education system, which is run mostly by individual states: When you have more centrally managed curricula, you have more common knowledge and a stronger civic culture. Another hitch is our reliance on market-driven programming rather than public broadcasting, which, according to the EJC study, devotes more attention to public affairs and international news, and fosters greater knowledge in these areas.

14 For more than two centuries, Americans have gotten away with not knowing much about the world around them. But times have changed and they ve changed in ways that make civic ignorance a big problem going forward. While isolationism is fine in an isolated society, we can no longer afford to mind our own business. What happens in China and India (or at a Japanese nuclear plant) affects the autoworker in Detroit; what happens in the statehouse and the White House affects the competition in China and India. Before the Internet, brawn was enough; now the information economy demands brains instead. And where we once relied on political institutions (like organized labor) to school the middle classes and give them leverage, we now have nothing. The issue isn t that people in the past knew a lot more and know less now, says Hacker. It s that their ignorance was counterbalanced by denser political organizations. The result is a society in which wired activists at either end of the spectrum dominate the debate and lead politicians astray at precisely the wrong moment. The current conflict over government spending illustrates the new dangers of ignorance. Every economist knows how to deal with the debt: cost-saving reforms to big-ticket entitlement programs; cuts to our bloated defense budget; and (if growth remains slow) tax reforms designed to refill our depleted revenue coffers. But poll after poll shows that voters have no clue what the budget actually looks like. A 2010 World Public Opinion survey found that Americans want to tackle deficits by cutting foreign aid from what they believe is the current level (27 percent of the budget) to a more prudent 13 percent. The real number is under 1 percent. A Jan. 25 CNN poll, meanwhile, discovered that even though 71 percent of voters want smaller government, vast majorities oppose cuts to Medicare (81 percent), Social Security (78 percent), and Medicaid (70 percent). Instead, they prefer to slash waste a category that, in their fantasy world, seems to include 50 percent of spending, according to a 2009 Gallup poll. Needless to say, it s impossible to balance the budget by listening to these people. But politicians pander to them anyway, and even encourage their misapprehensions. As a result, we re now arguing over short-term spending cuts that would cost up to 700,000 government jobs, imperiling the shaky recovery and impairing our ability to compete globally, while doing nothing to tackle the long-term fiscal challenges that threaten our ability to compete globally. Given our history, it s hard to imagine this changing any time soon. But that isn t to say a change wouldn t help. For years, Stanford communications professor James Fishkin has been conducting experiments in deliberative democracy. The premise is simple: poll citizens on a major issue, blind; then see how their opinions evolve when they re forced to confront the facts. What Fishkin has found is that while people start out with deep value disagreements over, say, government spending, they tend to agree on rational policy responses once they learn the ins and outs of the budget. The problem is ignorance, not stupidity, Hacker says. We suffer from a lack of information rather than a lack of ability. Whether that s a treatable affliction or a terminal illness remains to be seen. But now s the time to start searching for a cure. I m most surprised by I m not surprised by. The most likely reason for these facts is

Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test

(rev. 01/17) Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test The 100 civics (history and government) questions and answers for the naturalization test are listed below. The civics